Safety cranking device.



Patented Sept. 26, 1916.

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WITNESSES INVENTOR Geazye ff /?1 c e,

Y UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE E. RICE, HONOLULU, TERRITORY OF HAWAII.

Y SAFETY CBANKING DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

ator to safely turn the engine shaft without danger of injury to theoperator' on firingvof the engine. a In order .to accomplish thedesiredresult,

use is made of a cranking shaft adapted to back be connected by a softclutch member with a clutch member of the engine shaft to 'allow ofturning the latter on turning the cranking shaft, the said soft metalclutch member being adaptedto be shorn off on a return movement of theengine shaft to disclonlect the cranking shaft and the engine s a t.

A practical embodiment of the invention is represented in theaccompanying. drawings forming a part of this specification, in whichsimilar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all theviews.

Figure 1 is a sectional side elevation of the safety cranking device asapplied and withthe parts in normal non-engaged position, the sectionbeing on the line 11 of Fig. 2; Fig. 2 is a sectional front view of thesame on the line 22 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional-sideelevation of the cranking device with the parts in position for turningthe engine shaft on turning the cranking shaft, the section being on theline 33 of Fig. 5; Fig. 4 is an end View of the socket on the crankingshaft; and Fig. 5 is an end view of the engine shaft.

The cranking shaft A is mounted to turn and to slide in the direction ofits axis on the engine frame B, and the said cranking shaft A is inaxial alinement with the engine shaft C. The outer end of the cranln'ngshaft A-is provided with a handle Dand the said -c'raznkmg shaftisnormally held in outermost position by" a spring E coiled around theshaft'A and resting with one end on the frame B and pressing with itsother end onthe handle D.

. The inner end of the cranking shaft A is provided with a socket Fcarrying a screw Patented Sept. 26, 1916.

Application filed August 7, 1915. Serial No. 44,306.

or a pin Gof soft metal such as copper or other annealed metal, and theinner end of this pin G is adapted to engage one of a series ofshoulders H formed on the end of the. engine shaft C. The pin G and thecorresponding shoulder H. form clutch members to allow of turning theengine shaft C from the cranking shaft A at the time the latter isrotated and its socket F is engaged with the ends of the shaft 0. Now incase of back firing in the engine the shoulder H shears off the innerend of the pin Ur thus preventing injury to the operator l'lfilVflllghold of the handle D for turning the s a 't A.

In order to prevent return movement of theshaft. A use is made of aratchet wheel I secured on the cranking shaft A and engaged by oneorjtwo dogs J fulcrumed on the frame B and'pressed on by springs J tohold the dogs in engagement with the teeth of the ratchet wheel I.Normally the socket F is out of engagement with the end of the engineshaft O, and in order to guide the pin G into engagement with a shoulder H, use is made of a latch pin K adapted to engage one of a series ofrecesses .F formed'in the inner surface of the socket F. The latch pin Kis provided with a head K pressed on bv a spring L and held with thelatter in a recess N formed in the engine shaft C next to the'shouldersH. The pin K is mounted to slide in a plug 0 screwing in the wall of thebore N. The latch pin K has beveled sides but a straight front so as toreadily engage one of the recesses F on pushing the cranking shaft Ainward, it 'being understood thatthe latch pin K registers with one ofthe recesses F at the timethe pin G is in register with one of theshoulders H. It is understood that the pin G has suflicient strength toturn the 'engineshaft C for starting theengine but in case of backfiring the reverse movement given to the engine shaft C causes theshoulder H in en-' gagement with the pin G at the time to soft metalheld on the said socket, a clutch member on the end of the engine shaftand adapted to be engaged by the said socket and pin to rotate theengine shaft on turnshaft and adapted to register with one of ing thecranking shaft, the said clutch memher being adapted to shear off thesaid pin /member on the end of the engine shaft and adapted to beengaged by the said socket and pin to rotate the engine shaft on turningthe cranking shaft, the said clutch member being adapted to shear 03 thesaid pin on a return movement of the engine shaft, the

said socket having a series of recesses, and a spring-pressed latch pinheld on the engine the said recesses at the time the saidsoft 7 pin isin register with the clutch member."

3. A safety cranking device, comprisin a. 25

cranking shaft having a socket provi ed with recesses, a pin of softmetal in the socket, a clutch member on the end of the engine shaft andhaving shoulders, said clutch member being adapted to enter the .30 a

socket with a shoulder in'engagement with the pin, the shoulder of theclutch member being adapted to. shear off said pin on the engine shaft,and a sliding; and .spring pressed latch pin mounted in the clutch 35member, said pin having beveled sides and adapted to enter a recess ofthe socket.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to-this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses GEORGE H. RICE; Witnesses: FRANKJ. DoUoHERTY, GEORGE OCoNNoR.

